Pump



June 17, 1930.

H. H. MARKEY PUMP Filed Juiy 1, 1927 LSSMSS 2 Sheets-Sheet l 2.9 10ml/lll- INVENTOR ATTORNEYS June i7, 1930. H. H. MARKEY PUMP 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July `Il, 1927 INVENTOlv3 J-[Jf @by ATTORNEYS Patented June 17, 1930 f UNIT-En:` STATES HARLEY E. MARXEY, OF HOHER, LOUISIANA PUMP Application led July 1, 1927. Serial No. 202,924.

While the device of the present invention is capable vof a Wide range of utility as a pump or liquid transfer apparatus, it finds its preferred embodiment in a mechanism for lift.-

ing oil from wells.

A feature of the invention is the provision of a pump apparatus of this character primarily designed for oil wells in which one or more controlling pistons are positively l manipulated from above the surface of the ground, either hydraulically, mechanically, electrically, or by air or gas pressure.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of a pumping apparatus of this character in which the actual lifting of the fluid is accompanied entirely by the pressure as opposed to the mechanical action of a pumping piston, and in which the control for the pressure'means is in the nature of a relatively small pilot piston which simply regulates the admission of high or low pressure in the liquid receiving and discharging chamber.

Other Objects of the invention are to provide an apparatus of the character described above, which will be extremely simple and practical in construction, rugged, durable and elicient in use, and well suited to the requirements of economical manufacture, convenient installation and inexpensive operation.

With the above noted and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, as will be more fully hereinafter set forth and pointed out in the claims. The invention may be more fully understood from the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings, whereinn Fig. l is a broken longitudinal sectional view showing the device of the present invention applied to an oil well with the piston in position to admit compressed air into the liquid chamber.

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the piston in position to create a suction in the liquid cham- Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic plan View showing the manner of controlling the pumping apparatus for a number of wells or the like from a single air compressor and vacuum pump. y

In the drawings I have used the numeral 10 to designate a well Casin and the numeral 1l to designate a well tublng arranged con- 'centrically within the casing 10 and spaced from the walls thereof in order to cooperatively define with the casing a vacuum chamber 12 in which a vacuum may be induced by a suction line 13 in instances wherea partial vacuum is necessary to effect proper functioning of the apparatus. At the lower end of the well or at the bottom of the pumpin apparatus, the tubing 11 may include a ange 14 directly screwed to the casing so that oil cannot flow directly upwardly into the vacuum chamber 12. Other connections may of course be substituted, and in some instances 7 no connection is necessary since well pressure may render the use of a vacuum unnecessary. l

The flange 14 is preferably integral withl a valve fitting which includes a seat 15 upon 75 which a valve 16 normally gravitationally rests, the upward movement of the valve being limited by a cage 17. v

Arranged centrally of the tubingfll is a cylinder 18 communicating at its u per end 80 with a compressed air line 19. lrranged within this cylinder is a piston 2O which may be operated in any convenient or conventional manner. For the sake of illustration I have shown it connected to a rigid piston rod 21 85. extending through a stuiiing box 22, which rod may be mechanically shifted by any appropriate mechanism (not shown).

A radial passageway 23 connects the lower closed end of the cylinder 18 .with vacuum 90 chamber 12. Above this passageway, ports 24 provide communication between the cylindex: 18 and an air chamber 25 encircling the cylinder above its lower end, and communieating through vertical passageways 26 with '95. a liquid chamber.27 into which oil passing around the valve 16 may flow. The inner wall of the tubing 11 and the outer walls of the liquid chamber and piston cooperatively define anoil passage space 28 im been previously filled with oil. The piston 21 has been shifted downwardly so that it clears the ports 24, thereby permitting compressed air from the pipe 19 to pass through the chamber 25 and passages 26 into the chamber 27, positively forcing oil out of this chamber and up through the passageways 30. The oil pressure at this time unseats the valve 31 so that the oil may flow into the space 28 and out through the discharge pipe 29. At the same time, the oil pressure maintains the valve 16 seated.

When the oil has been exhausted from the chamber 27, the piston is lifted to the position of Fig. 2. At this time the partial vacuum existing in the' chamber 12 creates a low pressure in the lower end of the cylinder 18, and consequently in the chambers 25 and 27. Differential pressures on opposite sides of the valve 16 will cause the valve to lift to the position of Fig. 2, the oil lowing in around this valve and filling the chamber 27 The same pressure which unseats the valve 16 will of course tend to seat the valve 31.

When the chamber 27 has been approximately filled and before the oil can Hood through the ports 24, the piston is again shifted to the position of Fig. 1 and the operation of expelling the oil from the chamber 27 is re cated. i

In Fig. 4 I have illustrated diagrammati- I cally the use of a compressor or force pump 35 and a vacuum pump 36 provided with suit able headers 35*l and 36a from which leads may be taken to a number. of pumps.

It will be apparent that while this device is particularly effective in connection with the lifting of oil from wells, it is also capable of a wide and general range of utility as a pumping or liquid transfer apparatus. As illustrated in the drawings the cylinder 18 may be Imade integral with a section of the well tubing as well as with the walls of the chambers f 25 and 27 This castingY with its numerous passageways 26 is clearly apparent in Fig. 3. Obviously, various changes and alterations might be made in the general form and arrangement of the parts described without departing from the invention. Hence I do not wish to limit myself to the details/set forth, but shall consider myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall chamber, a liquid pumpin chamber disposed interiorly of the tubing and spaced therefrom having a valved inlet therein communicating with oil in the well and a valved outlet through which oil is discharged through the annularspace between the chamber and tubing, a cylinder extending into the pumping chamber and having ports communicating therewith above the liquid level therein, and means for alternately admitting compressed air'through said ports into the pumping chamber and placing the pumping chamber in commnnicationwith the vacuum chamber.

2. An oil well casing and a tubing therein cooperatively forming an annular vacuum chamber, a liquid pumping chamber disposed interiorly of the'tubing and spaced therefrom having a valved inlettherein communicating with oil in the well and a valved outlet through which oil is discharged through the annular space between the chamber and tubing, a cylinderextending into the pumping chamber and having. ports communicating therewith above the liquid level therein, and means for alternately admitting compressed air through said ports into the pumping chamber and placing the pumping chamber in communication with the vacuum chamber, said means comprising a positively operated piston in the cylinder, a compressed air line communicating with the cylinder above the ports and a passageway connecting the cylinder and vacuum chamber below the ports.l

HARLEY H. MARKEY.-

within, the spirit and scope of the appended l claims.

' Iv claim 1. An oil well casing, and a tubing therein f cooperatively forming an annular vacuum iso 

